by Bibek Debroy
‘“‘Hearing the words of the goddess, as recounted by Sharva, the great asuras were filled with intolerance and went to the place where Katyayani was. At first, the enemies of the immortals tried to counter the goddess by raining down showers of arrows, javelins and swords. She countered them with arrows, tridents, javelins and battleaxes. As if toying, she severed their weapons with large arrows released from her bow. Kali was in front, driving them away with blows from her trident. She roamed around, uprooting them with her khatvanga. Wherever the enemy ran, Brahmani pursued them and sprinkled water from the waterpot on them, taking away their strength and energy. Maheshvari killed daityas with her trident, Vaishnavi with her chakra and the extremely angry Koumari with her spear. Aindri used blows of the vajra to shatter hundreds of daityas and danavas. She flung them down, showering the earth with torrents of blood. The form of Varahi used her snout and the tips of her tusks to shatter their chests. She mangled them with her chakra. Narasimhi roamed around, filling the directions with her roars. She used her nails to tear apart the giant asuras and devoured the others. Shivaduti taunted the asuras with her loud and fierce laughter. They fell down on the ground and when they had fallen down, she ate them. Enraged, the large number of matris 837 crushed the giant asuras, using many different kinds of means to oppress the enemies of the gods. Seeing that they were thus afflicted by the large number of matris, the other daityas started to flee.
‘“‘Angry, the giant asura, Raktabija, advanced to fight. When a drop of his blood fell down on the ground from his body, another giant asura, just like him in appearance, arose from the ground. 838 With a club in his hand, the giant asura started to fight with Aindri. Aindri struck Raktabija with her own vajra. Struck by the vajra, many streams of blood instantly started to flow. However, other warriors immediately arose, just like him in form and strength. As long as drops of blood from his body continued to fall down, men who were identical to him in valour, strength and bravery arose. Those men, created from the blood, continued to fight. Just like him in form, they fiercely fought with the large number of matris, showering down terrible weapons. He was once again wounded in the head with a blow from the vajra. However, when the blood flowed, thousands of men were born from this. In the battle, Vaishnavi struck him with the chakra. Aindri struck the lord among asuras with a club. Mangled by Vaishnavi’s chakra, there were flows of blood. However, thousands of asuras who were just like him in size were created and covered the earth. Koumari struck him with a spear and Varahi with a sword. Maheshvari struck the giant asura, Raktabija, with a trident. The daitya struck each of the matris back with a club. Raktabija, the giant asura, was engulfed with rage. He was struck with many spears, tridents and other weapons. However, when the blood fell down on the ground, hundreds and hundreds of other asuras were created. The asuras created from the asura covered the entire universe. When everything was covered, the gods were filled with great fear. On seeing that the gods were distressed, Chandika spoke quickly. She said, “O Kali! O Chamunda! Stretch out your gaping mouths. When I strike Raktabija with weapons, great asuras are generated from the drops of his blood. Roam around in the field of battle, receive the drops in your mouths and devour the great asuras as soon as they are generated. In this way, as his blood is exhausted, the daitya will head towards destruction. When you devour those fierce ones, no others will be generated.” Saying this, the goddess struck him with a trident and Kali received Raktabija’s blood in her mouth. At this, he struck Chandika with his club. However, despite the blow of the club, she did not feel the slightest bit of pain. Struck by her, a lot of blood started to flow from his body. But all of this was received by Chamunda in her mouth. From the flow of blood, large asuras were generated inside her mouth. But Chamunda devoured them and drank up the blood. The goddess struck Raktabija with her trident, chakra, arrows, sword and double-edged sword and Chamunda drank up the blood. O lord of the earth! Struck by those weapons, Raktabija, the giant asura, became bereft of blood and lay down on the ground, lifeless. O king! The gods were filled with unmatched delight. Having drunk the blood, the large number of matris were intoxicated and danced around.’”’
Chapter 86
‘“The king said, ‘O illustrious one! You have told me a wonderful account about the goddess’s conduct and greatness, 839 based on the slaying of Raktabija. I now want to know what Shumbha did. What about the extremely wrathful Nishumbha?’
‘“The rishi replied, ‘Hearing that Raktabija had been brought down and that others had been killed in the battle, the asura Shumbha, and Nishumbha, were filled with unsurpassed rage. On seeing that the large army had been slaughtered, Nishumbha was filled with great intolerance and rushed forward, with the best among the asura soldiers. Giant asuras were in front of him, behind him and to his sides. They angrily bit their lips in rage and advanced to kill the goddess. The immensely valiant Shumbha arrived, surrounded by his own soldiers. He was filled with rage. To kill Chandika, he fought with the matris. There was a terrible battle between the goddess and Shumbha and Nishumbha. They showered down fierce arrows, like clouds showering down rain. Chandika shot her own arrows and severed those arrows. She used torrents of weapons to strike the two lords among asuras on their limbs. Nishumbha seized a sharp sword and an extremely radiant shield. He struck the lion, the goddess’s excellent mount, on the head. When her mount was struck, the goddess used a kshurapra arrow 840 to swiftly cut down Nishumbha’s sword. She also severed his shield, with the marks of eight moons inscribed on it. When the sword and shield were severed, the asura hurled a spear. However, as it descended, she sliced it into two with her chakra. Filled with rage, the danava Nishumbha seized a trident. But as it descended, the goddess shattered it into fragments with a blow of her fists. After this, he seized a club and hurled it towards Chandika. But the goddess shattered this with her trident and reduced it to ashes. The bull among daityas then advanced with a battleaxe in his hand. The goddess struck him with a torrent of arrows and brought him down on the ground.
‘“‘When Nishumbha, terrible in valour was brought down on the ground, his brother was filled with great rage and advanced, so as to kill Ambika. He was on his chariot and seized excellent weapons in his eight arms, which were so unmatched that they seemed to stretch up and cover the firmament. Seeing that he was advancing, the goddess blew on her conch shell. She twanged her bowstring and that sound was impossible to tolerate. She filled the directions with the sound of her bell and this sapped the energy of all the daitya soldiers. The lion filled the earth, the sky and the ten directions with its loud roar and this vanquished the musth. 841 Kali leapt up and struck the earth and the sky with her hands, this sound eclipsing all the previous sounds. Shivaduti laughed out aloud, in an inauspicious tone. 842 The asuras were terrified at this sound and Shumbha was filled with great rage. Ambika told the evil-souled one, “Wait. Wait.” Stationed in the sky, the gods uttered benedictions of victory. As Shumbha advanced, he hurled an extremely terrible and blazing spear. It descended like a mass of fire. But she repulsed it with her great fire. 843 O lord of the earth! Shumbha roared like a lion and filled the three worlds. But the terrible sound of thunder originating in the sky surpassed this. The goddess countered the arrows Shumbha shot and Shumbha countered the arrows the goddess shot. In this way, they respectively severed hundreds and thousands of such fierce arrows with their own arrows. After this, Chandika angrily struck him with her trident. Struck in this way, he fell down on the ground, senseless.’
‘By then, Nishumbha had regained his senses. He seized a bow and struck the goddess Kali and the lion with his arrows. Diti’s descendant, the lord of the danavas, then used his ten thousand arms to shroud Chandika with ten thousand chakras. The illustrious Durga, the destroyer of all hardships, became enraged. Using her own arrows, she severed those chakras and arrows. Nishumbha seized a club and rushed towards Chandika with great force, surrounding himself with daitya soldiers and desiring to kill her. As he descended, Chandika quickly severed the cl
ub with her sharp sword. He seized a spear. With that spear in his hand, Nishumbha, the afflicter of the immortals, rushed forward. However, Chandika powerfully pierced him in the heart with her trident. When his heart was shattered, another man emerged from inside it. He was immensely strong and immensely valiant. “Wait,” he exclaimed. But as he was emerging, the goddess laughed out loud. She severed his head with her sword and it fell down on the ground. With its sharp teeth, the lion tore apart the necks of other asuras and ate them. Kali and Shivaduti devoured others. Koumari shattered other great asuras with her spear. Brahmani repulsed others with her pure mantras. Maheshvari shattered and brought down others with her trident. With blows from her snout, Varahi shattered others and brought them down on the ground. Vaishnavi used her chakra to slice danavas into fragments. Releasing the vajra from her hand, Aindri struck others. Some brave asuras were destroyed in this way. Some perished in the course of the great battle. Others were devoured by Kali, Shivaduti and the king of deer.’”’
Chapter 87
‘“The rishi said, ‘Shumbha saw that his brother, whom he loved as much as his own life, had been killed and that his army had been destroyed. He angrily spoke these words. “O Durga! O wicked one! You are surviving on the strength of others. Forget your pride. You are proud because you are fighting on the basis of the strengths of others.” The goddess replied, “I am alone in this universe. Other than me, where is the second one who exists? O wicked one! Behold. All these manifestations of mine are entering my own form.” All the other goddesses, Brahmani and the others, entered into the breasts of the goddess and Ambika remained there, alone. The goddess said, “I manifest myself in many different forms. All of them have been drawn into me and I alone remain. Be steady.” An extremely terrible battle then commenced between Shumbha and the goddess, while all the gods and the asuras looked on.
‘“‘There were showers of sharp arrows. Extremely dreadful astras and shastras were used. The battle that raged between them caused great fear to the worlds. Ambika released hundreds of divine and other weapons. The Indra among daityas countered them with his own weapons. He too unleashed many divine weapons. As if she was toying, Parameshvari shattered them by uttering humkara. The asura enveloped the goddess with hundreds of arrows. Enraged, the goddess used her arrows to sever his bow. When his bow was severed, the Indra among daityas seized a spear. However, while it was still in his hand, the goddess used her chakra to sever this. The king of lords among the daityas then seized a sword and a shield as resplendent as the sun, decorated with the marks of one hundred moons. He rushed forward to kill her. As he descended, Chandika used sharp arrows released from her bow to swiftly sever the sword and the shield that sparkled like the sun. She brought down his horses and his chariot, along with the charioteer. The daitya’s horses were slain. His bow was severed and he was without a chariot. Preparing to kill Ambika, he grabbed a terrible bludgeon. As it descended, she used her sharp arrows to sever the bludgeon. Nevertheless, he rushed forward powerfully, raising his fists. The bull among daityas brought down his fist on the goddess’s chest. However, the goddess struck him with a blow from her palm. With that slap of the palm, he fell down on the ground. But the king of daityas suddenly arose again. He seized the goddess and leapt up into the sky. Without any support, Chandika fought with him there. The daitya and Chandika wrestled with each other there. At first, 844 this caused great amazement among the Siddhas and the sages. For a very long time, he wrestled in this way with Ambika. After this, she picked him up, whirled him around and flung him down on the ground. Though he was flung down on the ground in this way, the evil-souled one rose up. He raised his fists and rushed forward, desiring to kill Chandika. The lord of all the daitya subjects advanced. But the goddess pierced him in the chest with her trident and felled him on the ground. Mangled by the points of the goddess’s trident, he lost his life and fell down on the ground. When that evil-souled one was killed, the entire earth, along with its oceans, dvipas and mountains, turned pleasant. The world turned exceedingly beneficial. The sky became clear and sparkling. When he died, the clouds and meteors that had arisen were pacified. When Shumbha was slain, the rivers began to flow along their courses. The minds of all the large number of gods were filled with joy. When he was killed, the gandharvas sang in melodious voices. Other musical instruments were sounded. Large numbers of apsaras danced. An auspicious breeze started to blow. The rays of the sun turned radiant. Sacrificial fires that had been pacified blazed again. Tranquil sounds were heard in all the directions.’”’
Chapter 88
‘“The rishi said, ‘When the great Indra of the asuras was killed by the goddess, the desires of the gods were satisfied. Their auspicious faces bloomed like lotuses and illuminated the directions. With Indra and Agni at the forefront, they praised the goddess.
‘“‘The gods said, 845 “O goddess! Show us your favours. You are the one who removes the afflictions of those who seek refuge with you. Show us your favours. You are the mother of the entire universe. O Vishveshvari! Show us your favours. Save the universe. O goddess! You are the Ishvari of everything that is mobile and immobile. You alone are the support for the entire universe. You are the one who exists in the form of the earth. It is your own form that exists in the water. O one whose valour cannot be transgressed! You are the one who pervades everything. You are the Vaishnavi power. You are infinite in your valour. You are the seed of the universe. You are the supreme maya. O goddess! Everything is confounded by you. When you are pleased, you are the cause behind liberation from the earth. You are all kinds of knowledge. O goddess! All the different women in the universe are but your forms. O mother! You alone fill everything up. How can one praise you? You are beyond praise. You are superior to the best of words. O goddess! You exist in every being. You are the one who grants enjoyment 846 and emancipation. You are the one who should be praised. But which are the supreme words that can be used to praise you? You are the one who exists in the hearts of all beings in the form of intelligence. You are the one who grants heaven and emancipation. O goddess! O Narayani! I prostrate myself before you. You exist in the form of kala, kashtha and the others. You are the one who grants consequences. You are the power that leads to the destruction of the universe. O Narayani! I prostrate myself before you. O beneficial one! O one who brings about every kind of benefit! O auspicious one! O one who ensures every kind of success! O one who is a refuge! O three-eyed one! O Gouri! O Narayani! I prostrate myself before you. O eternal power who is behind creation, preservation and destruction! O refuge of all the gunas! O one who is full of gunas! O Narayani! I prostrate myself before you. O one who is devoted to saving the distressed and the afflicted who seek refuge with you! O one who removes the afflictions of everyone! O goddess! O Narayani! I prostrate myself before you. In the form of Brahmani, you are on a vimana that is yoked to swans. You are the one who sprinkles water mixed with kusha grass. O goddess! O Narayani! I prostrate myself before you. In the form of Maheshvari, you are astride a large bull, holding a trident, the moon and a serpent. O Narayani! I prostrate myself before you. O unblemished one! In the form of Koumari, you are surrounded by peacocks and cocks and wield a large spear. O Narayani! I prostrate myself before you. In the form of Vaishnavi, you hold a conch shell, a chakra, a mace and the Sharnga bow. Show us your favours. O Narayani! I prostrate myself before you. In the form of Varahi, you wielded a large chakra and raised up the earth on the tip of your tusks. O auspicious one! O Narayani! I prostrate myself before you. In the form of the fierce Narasimhi, you made efforts to destroy the daityas. You are the one who is associated with saving the three worlds. O Narayani! I prostrate myself before you. In the form of Aindri, you wear a diadem and wield a giant vajra. You possess one thousand dazzling eyes. You are the one who took away Vritra’s life. O Narayani! I prostrate myself before you. In the form of Shivaduti, you slew the immensely strong daityas. O one whose form is terrible! O one whose roar is loud! O Narayani! I prostrate myself before you. You cru
shed Munda in the form of Chamunda. Your face has cruel fangs and your ornament is a necklace of skulls. O Narayani! I prostrate myself before you. O Lakshmi! O Lajja! 847 O great vidya! 848 O Shraddha! 849 O Pushti! 850 O Svadha! O Dhruva! 851 O Maharatri! 852 O Mahamaya! O Narayani! I prostrate myself before you. O intellect! 853 O Sarasvati! O supreme one! O prosperity! O Babhravi! 854 O dark one! O one who restrains! Show us your favours. O Narayani! I prostrate myself before you. O one whose hands and feet are everywhere! O one whose eyes, heads and mouths are in every direction! O one whose senses of hearing and smell are in every direction! O Narayani! I prostrate myself before you. O one whose form is in everything! O one who is the lord of everything! O one who possesses all the powers! Save us from all fear. O goddess! O Durga! I prostrate myself before you. Your face, adorned with three eyes, is amiable. Save us from all kinds of fear. O Katyayani! I prostrate myself before you. Your trident is fierce, dreadful and blazing. It is the destroyer of asuras! Use it to save us from fear. O Bhadrakali! I prostrate myself before you. Your bell filled the universe with its sound and robbed the daityas of their energy. O goddess! We are like your sons. Use it to protect us from all kinds of sin. O Chandika! The sword glistens in your hand and is smeared with mud created by the blood and fat of asuras. We are bowing down before you. Use it to bring us what is auspicious. When you are satisfied, you take away all kinds of disease and grant all the objects of desire that are wished for. But when dissatisfied, you take these away. Men who seek refuge with you never suffer. Those who seek refuge with you become refuges for others. O goddess! You have now caused a great carnage among the giant asuras who hated dharma. Though you are one, you created many kinds of forms. O Ambika! Who other than you can do something like that? In knowledge, in the sacred texts, in the lamp of discrimination and in all the worlds, there is no one other than you. This sense of ‘mine’ is a great darkness. Other than you, who else can whirl the universe around in this way? You are established and save the universe wherever there are rakshasas, terrible and virulent nagas, enemies, powerful bandits, forest conflagrations and ocean depths. O Vishveshvari! You are the one who saves the universe. You are the one whose atman is the universe. You are the one who holds up the universe. The lords of the universe bow down devotedly before you. You are the refuge of the universe. O goddess! Just as you have instantly saved us from miseries now, always protect us from all kinds of fear. Pacify all the sins and evil portents in the universe and deliver us from the mire of all great calamities. We are prostrating ourselves before you. Show us your favours. O goddess! O one who removes the afflictions of the universe! O one who deserves to be worshipped by everyone who resides in the three worlds! Bestow boons on the worlds.”